DURING “NATIONAL POLICE WEEK,” CONGRESSMEN PAT RYAN AND ZACH NUNN INTRODUCE BIPARTISAN “MORE FUNDING FOR COPS ACT”

During “National Police Week,” Congressmen Pat Ryan and Zach Nunn Introduce Bipartisan “More Funding for COPS Act”  

The bipartisan legislation will double funding for the COPS program specifically to bolster and enhance small and midsized police departments, which are so often left behind as funding goes to larger departments and major cities

To date, Congressman Ryan has secured more than a million dollars in COPS funding for Hudson Valley police departments to fight the fentanyl crisis, create new policing units, improve technology and hire new officers

WASHINGTON, DC  –  Today, in honor of National Police Week, Congressman Pat Ryan and Congressman Zachary Nunn (R-IA) introduced the “More Funding for COPS Act” to fully fund and support Hudson Valley police departments. The vast majority of federal funding goes to larger police departments while smaller departments like those in rural Iowa and the Hudson Valley are often overlooked. The bipartisan legislation will double funding for the COPS program specifically to bolster and enhance small and midsized police departments. 

“More affordable, more safe, and more free – that’s the Hudson Valley I want for my kids and for yours. Keeping our streets safe starts with supporting our local police departments, and making sure they have the tools they need to protect our communities,” said Congressman Pat Ryan. “Hudson Valley police officers are heroes, and they’re entrusted with the enormous responsibility of protecting our families. But far too often, small and midsized police departments like ours lack the resources they need. That’s why I am proud to be leading this bipartisan effort to ensure that our officers are getting fair treatment – because our kids, our communities, and our country are all safer when we support our cops.” 

“In Iowa, our local sheriffs and officers are often the first and only line of defense. They fight through storms, snow, sleet, and ice to serve and protect our communities, often without the funding they need,” said Rep. Zach Nunn. “Every Iowa town deserves strong public safety, regardless of size or geography, and I'm proud to help lead this bipartisan effort to boost hiring and resources for law enforcement in our small and rural communities.”

Orange County Sheriff Arteta supported Congressman Ryan, saying, "It is our job to invest in safer communities, big or small. Congressman Ryan's proposal to increase the funding for the Community Oriented Policing Services Program increases our opportunity for funding in Orange County; this means better tools, more training, and designated staff." 

“Dutchess County police departments work hard every day to keep our communities safe. Congressman Ryan has long been a champion for local law enforcement in the Hudson Valley, and his bill will help ensure that our officers have the tools they need to do their jobs,” said Dutchess County Sheriff Kirk Imperati. “Dutchess County police departments deserve fair treatment when it comes to grants that help improve our safety and capabilities, and I thank Congressman Ryan for his continued advocacy to get my officers the tools they need.” 

“COPS’ grants have been incredibly impactful for our department – Congressman Ryan’s More Funding for COPS Act will allow for even more crucial investments in the future of small and midsized law enforcement agencies like ours,” said Ulster County Sheriff Juan Figueroa. “Ulster County police officers take up the call every day to protect our communities – it’s time for them to get fair treatment when it comes to federal resources that help them most effectively do their jobs.”

The “More Funding for COPS Act” is endorsed by the U.S. Deputy Sheriffs Association, the National Association of Police Organizations, and the Ulster County Police Chiefs Association. 

Congressman Ryan has long advocated for increased funding for law enforcement and first responders through the COPS program. Additional funding would help allow the COPS Office to increase its grant programs that support local law enforcement and community safety initiatives across the country.

In 2023, Congressman Ryan secured a $300,000 COPS grant for the Middletown Police Department to upgrade their technology investments. Later that year, he secured an additional $400,000 in COPS funding for the Ulster County Sheriff’s Office to implement a crisis intervention response team and combat the opioid crisis. Most recently Congressman Ryan secured a $375,000 COPS grant for the Town of Poughkeepsie to build a new Community Policing Unit to boost public safety. 

In 2024, Congressman Ryan secured nearly six million dollars in federal funding for public safety projects to support law enforcement across the Hudson Valley. In Ulster County alone, he worked with Sheriff Figueroa and local partners to secure $794,000 in funds to update policing equipment and technology, as well as more than a million dollars to bolster public safety infrastructure county-wide through improvements to the Emergency Operations Center. Other key projects left out of the budget resolution included nearly $1.2 million for the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office to develop a Real-Time Crime center, more than a million dollars for improvements to the Orange County Emergency Operations Center, as well as nearly $800,000 for updated body cameras for officers at Orange County jails. 

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